You look somewhat familiar- have I threatend you before?

I am going to see Pirate Radio tonight with my very goodest friend, Nikki. Prior to that, she wants to have dinner. So, we're meeting at 5, having dinner and then it's movie time. I adore British movies, and British humor. We are planning on Mexican for dinner....but I"m starting to second guess that.

I had an omlette (1 egg + sprinkle of cheese + 1 T salsa) and a HUGE glass o'water. I've sent Hubs off to ride, Kid is up and moving (though slowly) and I am doing laundry and dithering over working out. I should probably get to that.

I have been swamped at work this week - and Kid and I both had a mild case of flu. It's been loads of fun. This week is Thanksgiving, which is nice....but I have to work Friday, which sorta sucks. Whatever. I'll live.

Sorry to be short, but I better get in gear. I've found alot of excuses to not do what I need to today....and I should strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. I'll update later!

Engine Room, where's my drink?

Because I could use one.

It's Monday. Crazy, hectic, ridiculous Monday. Up and around on time this morning, Kid to school on time, me to work on time, out of work on time....and yet.....I feel rather frazzled. I think a long hot soak with some Lush bath product of some sort and a tall glass of Framboise ale is the ticket for the evening. Of course, I'm gonna eat dinner first. I mean, really.

I have to make dinner....and I should get to it, I suppose. For lunch, I had soup - which is probably why I feel very, very hungry and I had the urge to snack all afternoon. Bad. I'm reheating some leftover turkey, and maybe roasting a few sweet potatoes. *sigh* I'm making the boys pork chops, probably grilled or maybe broiled, and......corn? potatoes? Yeah, something vegetable like, I'm sure. I gotta have something. I'll look.

So, all things aside, weight is stable which is not great but it ain't bad, either. I am hoping to get to bed at a reasonable hour, sleep for more than 4 hours, and try to get a workout and breakfast in before 7 am. Call me crazy...but I think it might be possible.

Just in case, cross your fingers for me. I could use the good luck.

FOOD JOURNAL: 11/07/2009

I made a protein shake that I was not a fan of....but am including the recipe because someone might like it. I am going to try it again, maybe with a little chocolate SF DaVinci added, to boost the flavor. I could really taste the vanilla protein powder, and it's got a weird after-taste to it. Maybe I need a new protein powder too.

10:30am: Vanilla Power Shake
1/2 C liquid Chai Tea concentrate
1/2 C milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
ice

combine all and serve.

drank about 1/3 of it, but wanted something more.....FOOD like.

11:00am: Quick Breakfast Burrito
1 corn tortilla, warmed
1 egg, scrambled
1 T 2% shredded cheddar
1 T locally made salsa (from health food store)
big glass of water
vitamins + other supplements

Good for you, you can count.

57 days

I have 57 days until my friends blow into town. 57 days to make some kind of a difference in my life. 57 days to try to find the OLD me that resides in the...well, not NEW me. I've been this way for a long time, so.......the LESS OLD me that isn't how I feel in the inside. On the inside, I'm still 25 and still wanting to be out dancing to alternative music and seeing bands and having fun and taking care of myself. The "new" me is working about 9 hours a day (at least), running around like a lunatic, making breakfast for Hubs and Kid (and not finding time to make something healthy at home for myself), trying to get things done after work, trying to find time to sleep and wishing I could breathe. Ugh.

I have a "to-do" list 8 miles long. And yet, here I sit, blogging. I am an idiot.

Kid is still sleeping because we went to bed very late (my own fault) and I have to overhaul the bathroom because lord only knows when it was last totally and thoroughly cleaned. It's clean.....but it needs CLEANED. You know?

So I actually grabbed breakfast - in typical ME fashion: up @ 8am (after going to bed at 1am), swapped out laundry, made breakfast for Hubs, filled his Camelback and Gatorade bottle for the mountain biking he's doing today, started on the bathroom, then thought "gee, maybe I should eat. It's almost 11am." That is a prime example of my usual routine. If Kid was up, I'd have made his breakfast and gotten him his juice and futzed (or is it phutzed) around before ever making it to getting myself fed. Obviously, I am not important enough to myself to do anything for me. Again, idiot.

I've been feeling very overwhelmed and under-prepared lately. I must get to bed earlier, get up earlier and get some kind of a work out in in the morning. I'm killing myself - and that's pretty much what it comes down to if I don't get my ass to change. I need to remove the snooze button from the alarm clock.

It's beautiful today, and all I want to do is lie back down and go to sleep. Instead, I've opened the windows, fed myself breakfast and am heading into the bathroom to clean. Life rocks.

It's not going to affect my performance. Don't worry about it, alright? It does disturb me, but I rise above it. I'm a professional.

That is a quote from a movie I should own, but don't: This is Spinal Tap. I love that movie. We use lines from it all the time.

Let's get the reporting out of the way, and then I can go and do other exciting things, like....laundry. I know, I know. Don't stand too close...it could be dangerous.

Previously, my weight was: 223.7 (ack!!!!!!!!!!)

Today, my weigh-in was: 217.8 (sweet!)

So, good, yes?

I have discovered that when I actually pay attention, I can learn something. Tricky, I know. This week I learned that:
a) I like eating better and I want my family to eat better too and
b) if I slip, it's not the end of it all and
c) what I eat and how much I move is in direct relation to how to good (or how not good) I feel.

It's crazy, isn't it?? Wow. I am gifted (not really).

I've walked the dog, I've lifted weights, I've done aerobic videos (and bought a new one!) and I'm enjoying feeling better. And I'm seriously, completely and totally looking forward to shopping for better (and smaller) clothes. It's all I can think about.

Work has been stressful, and I'm trying very hard to not have a latte or other coffee drink every day, and I stay away from the vending machine, and I take advantage of the great salad bar in our cafe @ work ALOT. On one of the days this week we had stuffed baked potatoes as an option for an entree, and you could pick your veggies and add sour cream or bacon bits or chives, etc. I didn't pack my lunch that day, so I cobbled together roughly 1/2 C cottage cheese + 1 plain potato w/salsa and a small salad w/lots of different veggies and a little FF salad dressing. At least I'm staying reasonably focused. This is the point where I usually say "screw it" and make a bunch of excuses and eat a pizza.

Tomorrow is football day (and the Vikings play my beloved Packers @ Lambeau. Oh, how you annoy me, Brett Favre) and I'm equal parts anxious and excited about watching that game. And tomorrow is free day........but I am thinking about just staying on the path and not straying too much. Obviously, I've been taken over by the pod people. Someone alert the authorities.

Cake or death? Mm.....death, please.

Went out with Hubs for his birthday. The surprise party went off without (much of) a hitch. Loads of people came and it was very nice. I got through the party without having a piece of cake, which should probably carved in stone somewhere and kept as a record of something miraculous.

And then, the weekend rolled around. And then, the Monday arrived. Damn the Monday.

I am almost afraid to admit to this, because usually in admitting to it, I sabotage myself into tanking completely.....but, here it goes:

I started Body for Life this morning.

I got up at 5:45am, and did 30 minutes of ass-kicking cardio. Why was it ass-kicking?? Because it was intense and hard? No, because ANY cardio is ass-kicking for me at this point. I am soooooooooooooo out of shape, I'm not even sure I could ever explain it to you. I used to be able to spend HOURS on a dancefloor, come home sweaty and exhausted and still felt great. Now, I get winded climbing the basement stairs. More than likely, it is because I've become very sedentary in the last few years. Well, try last 15 years. So, basically, I'm trying to undo 15 years of lying on the couch and watching TV while eating non-stop. Not an easy thing to try to do.

Here's what I have had, so far:

1 Sunrise protein shake:

• 1 can diet Sunkist orange soda
• 1 container Yoplait Light orange cream yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 C frozen pineapple chunks

This is by far they very best protein shake I have ever had. The original recipe calls for half an orange (peeled & segmented, of course) but I have used lots of different fresh or frozen fruit (mango, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, banana) and it's come out great every time. I can't complain. I'd like to....but I can't, dammit.

I've also had:

2 pieces low-fat string cheese + 1/2 gala apple, sliced

and now I'm having:

• 1/2 chicken breast topped with salsa + 2 T 2% shredded cheese
• 1/2 brown rice mixed with 1/4 corn

loads of water, too. For later, I have 1/2 C LF cottage cheese mixed w/1 container Yoplait Light blueberry yogurt and even grabbed 2 hard boiled eggs w/fruit, if I need nibblies, which I should not need today, really. For dinner....probably more chicken. I can mix a little salsa w/some FF sour cream and spoon that over the chicken and the rice. Yummerific.

Off to read and cruise the boards. Have fun!

Thinking

I was talking with Hubs last night about our insurance. Seems that the health insurance has an $800/yr "wellness benefit."

Loosely translated (and from reading the paperwork) I can join Weight Watchers and they'll reimburse me for my fees.

Huh. Who knew?

Now I just need to know if I can the online thing, or if I would have to go to those God forsaken meetings that I hate.....but which might have more og an impact on making me toe the line.

Ugh.